About the Coverwall

From John and Yoko to Miley Cyrus, Annie Leibovitz to David LaChapelle, the cover of Rolling Stone has always been an art form in its own right. Now you can explore all our covers, and read full articles from classic issues dating back to our 1967 launch in our brand-new Cover Wall.
Explore the Coverwall »

'Would they have messed with Mr. Carter if he was white?'

After Jay-Z fired back last week at critics of his recent trip to Cuba with the pointed new song "Open Letter," Pitbull has chimed in with a freestyle of his own over the backing track Timbaland and Swizz Beatz produced for Hov.

The Florida rapper comes down squarely on Jay-Z's side while extolling the hard work and determination of his fellow Cuban-Americans who, Pitbull says, "made Miami something from nothing."

The controversy began when Jay-Z and Beyoncé celebrated their fifth wedding anniversary in Havana earlier this month. Several Republican members of Congress questioned whether the couple had obtained permission from the federal government to travel to the Communist island nation, which is required by the terms of a U.S. trade embargo against Cuba.

Pitbull offered his take on the uproar, rapping, "Politicians love to hate you / But then they run away when it's time to debate you / Question of the night / Would they have messed with Mr. Carter if he was white?"